The subject matter disclosed within relates generally to a communication network, and particularly relates to systems and methods for adding a non-inherent component to a device key of a networked device.
A network system may be used for interconnecting devices for communication. A range of devices may be included in the network system. Device keys are used as a means of device identification in network systems. In existing network systems, they are comprised of device identifying attributes that are inherent to the device, such as the device vendor, the device type, the device product code, the device hardware revision, the device software revision, the device serial number, etc. Network systems compare expected device keys to actual device keys for network devices to verify device compatibility within a system. 11
When wiring a range of network devices in a control panel, the relative position of each device is chosen so that wiring can be accomplished efficiently and accurately. When replacing a network device in a control panel, it is important to ensure that the new network device has a compatible set of inherent device key identifying attributes with the old device, and to ensure that the new network device is wired into the panel at the same location as the old network device. Adding a non-inherent component to the device key attributes would facilitate this.